Pictures – Page 11 – MagicShow.Tips

Magicians From Last Week!

One of the things that I love about being a performer is the camaraderie that exists. I was just at a booking event and while all the magicians there were competing for the same gigs, we all would help each other out in any way possible!

Many magicians look at other magicians as competition. Here’s how I look at booking gigs: If someone gets a gig that I was also up for, they did something that I was unable or unwilling to do.

I don’t believe that anyone owns a gig. Just because you’ve worked there before doesn’t make it your gig, and no one else can solicit it. Yes, there are inappropriate times to solicit it, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done when it’s appropriate.

Go out there an make some friends with the magicians in your market!

-Louie

Your Act Will Never Be This Edgy!

Right now, one of the trends in magic (that’s not mentalism) is being edgy. Magicians are trying to get away from the cheesy stereotype of a magic show.

No matter how edgy you think you are, you’ll never come close to this description of a magic show from the late 1700s!

That’s crazy! I’d like to know what it actually looked like.

I did have a trick (I think I published it) where I took a tooth out of my mouth, did a trick with it, and then put it back into my mouth, filling the previously empty gap in my smile. It was a weird trick.

-Louie

Test Travelling With a Show

I’m heading out to travel internationally to do some shows in a few days. The show I’m travelling with is packed differently than I normally travel. Normally I check my show and not carry it on. However, for this trip I will need to travel with some of it carried on.

My past travel experience has told me I’d have no issues flying with what’s in the carry on. To be safe, I was doing a domestic trip recently and I packed the show like the international one to see if I had any issues with TSA.

The show breezed through TSA, and there were no issues! It was nice to take a little bit of stress out of the upcoming trip!

-Louie

Applause Please – Back in Stock!

I’ve got a batch of Applause Please 2‘s back in stock and ready to ship!

I only have five of them ready right now. If you want one, get your order in soon. I head out for two weeks on December 9th, so your order needs to be in by the end of the day on December 8th, 2025 if you want it to ship before Christmas.

You can get them at:
https://www.magicshow.tips/applause-please-2-the-encore/

-Louie

Folded Card Magic Trick

Sometimes I have a great idea, I send it to my workshop group, and they tell me it’s been around for a while. My idea was to do a trick after revealing a card that’d been mercury folded. Occasionally, after the card has been revealed folded, someone will ask if you can fix the card. The idea that hit me the other day that if I drew lines on the back of a card with a white pen, it would look like the creases.

I could then top change the folded card for the card with the lines drawn on it. Then I could wipe the lines off, and the card is flat again!

It’s a great idea. I wish I’d been the first person to think of it. I’m still going to play with the idea.

-Louie

Another TV Spot

Recently, I was invited to be a guest on a local TV show, where I was supposed to do a 20-minute spot. This was a longer form interview type show. I wasn’t doing a 20-minute show for them, but a more informal performance throughout the interview.

Here’s what I packed with me:

This was more than enough material for the gig. However, right before I left for the show, I was texting with some friends, and one suggested that I bring my marshmallow routine, so I also grabbed that.

It was a different mindset coming into this interview, as it’s not a linear show. I had to have a lot of versatile stuff and things that would make sense to do if they came up. It was a lot of trying to guess where the interview would go and plan for that. The nice thing is that I can do a lot with a deck of cards.

I feel like the spot went well, and I’ll post video when they send it to me!

-Louie

Flying Spots by Lubor Fielder

A couple weeks ago when I was in Las Vegas, I visited Trick Supply. One of the tricks that I picked up was Flying Spots by Lubor Fielder. There’s nothing crazy about this trick, it’s a paddle trick that I’m guessing he put out in the 1980’s.

I had an idea with it. Here’s my idea:

I’m not sure where I’m going to go with this, however I do like the look of the googly eyes a lot more than the black spots. Now I just need to write a routine!

-Louie

Magic as an Art

Magicians love to complain about how no one takes magic seriously as an art. Usually, those are the people who aren’t out there creating art, they’re doing cover band magic. Those are the people who buy a routine and do it word for word.

There’s nothing wrong with buying a routine and performing it. Just like there’s nothing wrong with doing a paint by number painting. If that’s what brings you joy, by all means, do it. It’s just not (in my opinion) creating art.

How do you become an artist? That’s a hard thing to say, and honestly I barely consider myself one and really hate it when I refer to myself as an artist. One place to start is figuring out who you are and how to convey that to your audience.

Do you like movies? Talk about that in your show.
Do you have kids? Talk about them in your show.

Another way is to have a point of view.
Are you Anti Tax? Talk about that in your show.

The more of you and your worldview you put into the show, the closer it starts moving into art.

Also, I should mention, art isn’t just presentation, it can be the sleight of hand.

-Louie

Trick Supply in Las Vegas

Last week when I was in Las Vegas I popped by the Trick Supply magic shop. I was hoping to catch Eric Stevens working there, but he wasn’t in. I had to settle for Doug Conn working that day and I’m definitely fine with that!

Trick Supply is a great shop, they have a ton of new and older stuff IN STOCK. While I was there, I picked up a couple of older close-up magic tricks. Plus, with Doug and Eric working there, the staff are very knowledgeable magicians! This is worth a stop when you’re in Las Vegas!

-Louie

WonderGround in Las Vegas!

Last week I was passed through Las Vegas on my way home from a booking conference and performed at WonderGround! This is a magic / variety show that was originally started by Jeff McBride, but is currently run by Will Bradshaw.

I think this was my fourth or fifth time doing WonderGround and it’s always a ton of fun. I ran into a bunch of old friends, made new friends and met people that I only knew from social media.

One of the highlights of the show was running into Richard. He saw my show at his elementary school about 15 years ago and that was his introduction to magic. Now he’s a working magician in Las Vegas!

Wonderground is really three shows: An early stage show, close up show and a late stage show. I performed in the late stage and close up shows.

One of the cool things about this show is that it’s a great audience! If you’re ever in Las Vegas when the WonderGround show is going on, you absolutely should go so it! For a $20 admission it’s a steal!

-Louie